Art of veneering surfaces



1386- B. e. ROBERTSON ART OF VENEERING SURFACES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 9, 1934 n a r w b 02 Maw? n m x /WK Dec. 22, 1936. G, RQBERTSON2,065,322

ART OF VENEERING SURFACES Filed June 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [lava/21%;

3 MW 21 M y -X/0rzzey Eli till] atented Dec. 22,

Application June 9, 1934, Serial N6. 329.8%

12 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of veneering surfaces and has, as itsprincipal object, the

provision of a novel method for simulating the.

appearance of a surface veneered with matched wood panels of one or moredifferent kinds of wood.

Another object is to provide a method which can be simply andinexpensively as well as easily and quickly performed to produce ahighly realistic effect.

I have discovered that the appearance of, or effect produced by, asurface veneered with matched wood panels may be easily and quicklysimulated by placing a stencil, having a series of openings or cut-outsarranged to form a pattern of the markings or grain lines contained inthe matched wood panels to be imitated, over a surface to be decoratedand then spraying a decorating material or stain through the stencil.Where the matched wood panels are of the same character, it willprobably be necessary to shield, from the spray, a portion of thesurface being decorated corresponding to the match line of said panels.The surface to be decorated should if necessary be preliminarily treatedwith a suitable material to provide a background coating having thecolor and general appearance of the natural wood being imitated. Abackground of this character coupled with a stain of the grain linesproduces a highly realistic simulation of the natural veneered surface.

in practicing the invention, the stencil may be placed in contact withthe surface or slightly raised therefrom, as desired. The match lineshield, however, should be arranged to contact the surface at all pointsalong match lines, which would be otherwise exposed to the spray.Furthermore, in order to produce a convincing simulation, this shieldshould not only be made extremely thin, but also of uniform thinness,while its points of contact, where contact is necessary, should be evenor regular. In this manner, each cut-out of one panel will be separatedirom the matching cut-out of the adjacent panel by a thin, uniform line.Although the thin separating lines thus produced will, in some cases, beconnected by intervening shielded areas of greater extent, I have foundthat the efiect of a single, continuous match line will, nevertheless,be produced.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a stencil having a number of adjacentsections cut-out to form a pattern of the grain line markings containedin matched veneer panels;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of a fragmentary portion of adjacentsections of said stencil;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the stencil;

(Cl. Mil-127) Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the stencilin operative relation relatively to a surface which is to be decorated;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a decorated surface after the stencilingoperation;

Figures 6 and 7 are top plan views of another stencil and decoratedsurface, one half of Figure 7 being shown in full lines and the otheridentical half being indicated in dotted lines.

in carrying out my invention, I provide a stencil l which is dividedinto sections corresponding in number and arrangement, to the number andarrangement of the matched veneer sections or panels to be simulated,the stencil shown in Figures 1 to l inclusive having four equalrectangular sections. Each section or panel is provided with a number ofcut-outs or openings 2 through which a stain or decorating material maybe sprayed, the cut-outs being delimited by the strands 3. Thesecut-outs are designed to simulate the markings or grain lines containedin the surface of the corresponding wood panel which is to be imitated.Furthermore, in order to make the four sections illustrated simulate theappearance of a surface having four similarly grained veneer panelscomposed of the same wood and arranged in matching relation, thecut-outs in each stencil section are made to form more or lesssymmetrical patterns which match with each other along their commonboundaries. If desired, the cut-outs 2 may be made to extendcontinuously from one section or panel to another, but, in order tosecure the cut-out delimiting strands 3 to the stencil, the ends of thecut-outs in one section are preferably separated from the ends ofcorresponding cut-outs in the next adjacent section by a; thin boundaryor separating strand t.

It will now be evident that the design embodied in the stencil, as awhole, can be reproduced on the surface S, which is to be decorated,simply by placing the stencil over the surface and spraying a decoratingmaterial, such as a suitable stain, through the cut-outs of the stencil.Before spraying, however, the surface S should be coated with-a suitablelacquer or other material which is colored to produce, on the surface, abackground of the same color as that of the wood being imitated. Duringthe spray operation, the boundary strands t operate individually toshield corresponding portions of the surface S and thereby produce onthe surface thin short lines of separation, as indicated at b in Figure5, which are joined to each other by intervening areas, these areas,during the spraying operation, having been completely shielded by thestrands 3. If the boundary strands t have a thin, smooth and uniformline of contact with the surface S, the effect of a continuous line ofseparation, similar to that which obtains between matched veneersections, will be produced on the surface S in a highly realisticmanner. Inasmuch, however, as stencils of this type are relatively thin,it is difficult to make the boundary or separating strands 4 of uniformthinness, and, unless extreme care is exercised in the manufacture ofthe stencil, the edges of the strands 4 will be somewhat rough or ofvarying thinness as generally indicated at 6. These edge variations areapt to show in the decorated-surface S, and if pronounced enough, maymar the matched appearance sufficiently to reduce or even destroy therealistic effect which might otherwise have been produced. To the end,therefore, of avoiding such deleterious results, an auxiliary boundarystrand 1, preferably in the form of wire of small diameter, isinterposed between the stencil and the surface S. While this auxiliaryboundary strand may be maintained separate and apart from the stencil I,in which event the stencil should be carefully aligned with it duringthe spraying operation, it preferably is securely attached to thestencil and made to extend completely along the common boundaries of thepatterns. In this connection, it may be noted that the boundary strand 1strengthens or reenforces the boundary strands 4 and that it may be usedto hold the pattern or cut-out delimiting strands 3 in place in theevent the boundary or separating strands 4 are not used.

The strand 1 not only functions to shield the line of division or matchline between patterns, but it also raises the stencil from the surface Sand thus permits some of the decorating material to pass on to thatportion of the surface S which extends underneath the cut-out delimitingstrands 3. In this manner, the heavy deposits of decorating material, onportions of the surface corresponding to the cut-outs, is made to mergewith the lighter deposits, on portions corresponding to the strands 3,and the decorated effect of the surface as a whole thereby softened ortoned down correspondingly. Of course, with some of the sprayingmaterial passing underneath the strands 4, the boundary strand 1 willfurther function to provide a line of separation in the interveningareas, and thus preserve a continuous match line between the patterns asa Whole.

The invention thus far has been described and illustrated in connectionwith the simulation of a surface veneered with matched panels all ofwhich are of the same character and therefore embody the same grainlines. The surface of some articles such as furniture, for example, isoften veneered with matched panels of different character, that is tosay panels either composed of the same wood but having different graincharacteristics or composed of entirely different woods. The line ofcontact between matched veneer panels of different character may betermed a joint line to distinguish from the match line between veneerpanels of the same character. In some instances the joint line is markedon the surface to be decorated by a surface indentation or groove knownin the trade as a route line. The present invention is applicable forsimulating the appearance of surfaces of this character as illustratedin Figures 6 and 7.

In Figure 6 a stencil l is shown with cutouts 2 arranged to form apattern for the simulation of a surface veneered at its center withmatched panels of one character of wood and at its border with matchedpanels of another character of wood. The matched veneer panels formingthe center design of the veneer to be'imitated are separated from eachother by match lines as are the matched veneer panels forming the borderdesign while the center design as a whole is separated from the borderdesign as a whole by joint lines. Accordingly the stencil is providedalong its corresponding match lines with auxiliary boundary strand Iwhich, as before, may function either to shield the match line of thesurface to be decorated or to reenforce the stencil or both. The jointlines of the surface to be decorated, particularly when they are markedby route lines, need not necessarily be shielded during the stainingoperation. However, 1 prefer to secure, preferably to the under side ofthe stencil, an auxiliary boundary strand wire la. This strand la, inaddition to its other functions, provides a means for engaging orextending into the route line and thus may be used to facilitate thecentering or aligning of the stencil on the surface.

Before the stencil is placed over the surface S shown in Figure 7, thelatter is provided with the desired route line 8 between its central andborder portions and these portions separately coated if necessary ordesirable with background materials of the proper colors. In the surfaceillustrated, the background coating of the central portion is stippledto approximate, more closely, the natural appearance of the wood beingsimulated whereas in the border portion an approximation of the naturalappearance of wood being simulated is obtained by a plain backgroundcoating. Furthermore, the border section is divided into two parts byanother route line 9.

When the preliminary treatment of the surface S is finished, the stencilmay be centered on the surface by aligning the boundary strand la of thestencil with the corresponding route line 8 of the surface. The entiresurface may now be sprayed either with a single stain or with separatestains for the central and border portions as may be required. In eithercase, it will be appreciated that the spraying operation can be easilyand quickly performed despite the fact that more than one kind of veneeris to be simulated.

The term stencil sprayed stain stripes" as used in the claims designatesstripes formed by spraying a stain through stencil cutouts.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A method of decorating a surface to simulate thereon the appearanceof a wood veneered surface having matched veneer panels, said methodcomprising arranging adjacent to and in alignment with the surface to bedecorated a stencil section having cut outs which are arranged to formcorrespondingly matched patterns of the markings contained in thematched veneer panels to be imitated, and then spraying stainingmaterial through the cut outs of said stencil.

2. A method of decorating a surface to simulate thereon the appearanceof a wood veneered surface having matched veneer panels, said methodcomprising treating at least one section of the surface to be decoratedwith coloring material to provide thereon a back ground coating havingthe general appearance of the veneer panel to be imitated on thatsection, arranging adjacent to and in alignment with the surface to bedecorated a stencil having cut outs which are arranged to formcorrespondingly matched patterns of the markings contained in thematched veneer panels to be imitated, and then spraying stainingmaterial through the cut outs of said stencil. v

3. A method of decorating a surface to simulate thereon the appearanceof a wood veneered surface having matched veneer panels of the samecharacter, said method comprising arranging adjacent to and in alignmentwith the surface to be decorated a stencil having cut outs arranged toform correspondingly matched patterns of the markings contained in thematching veneer panels to be imitated, spraying staining materialthrough the cut outs of said stencil, and shielding from the spray acontinuous portion of the surface to be decorated corresponding to thematch line of said panels.

4. A method of decorating a surface to simulate thereon the appearanceof a wood veneered surface having matched veneer panels of the samecharacter, said method comprising treating the surface to be decoratedwith coloring material to provide thereon a back ground coating havingthe general appearance of the matched veneer panels to be imitated,arranging adjacent to and in alignment with the surface to be decorateda stencil having'cut outs arranged to form correspondingly matched pat.-terns of the markings contained in the matched veneer panels to beimitated, spraying staining material through the cut outs of saidstencil and shielding from the spray a continuous portionof said surfacecorresponding to the match line of said panels. 1

5. A method of decorating a surface to simulate thereon the appearanceof a wood veneered surface having a route line forming the commonboundary between matched veneer panels of different character, saidsurface to be decorated having a corresponding routeline, said methodcomprising arranging adjacent to and in alignment with the surface to bedecorated a stencil having a corresponding route line member and cutouts which are arranged to form correspondingly matched patterns of themarkings contained in the matched veneer panels to be imitated, and thenspraying staining material through the cut outs of said stencil.

6. A method of decorating a surface to simulate the appearance thereonof a wood veneered surface having a route line forming the commonboundary between matched veneered sections of.

different character, at least one veneer section having matched veneerpanels of the same character, said surface to be decorated having a thesurface to be decorated a stencil having a corresponding route linemember and cut outs which are arranged to form correspondingly matchedpatterns of the markings contained in the matched veneer panels to beimitated, spraying staining material through the cut outs of saidstencil and shielding from the spray a continuous portion of the surfaceto be decorated corresponding to the match line between matched veneerpanels of the same character.

'I. A stencil adapted for use in simulating on a surface to be decoratedthe appearance of a surface veneered with matched wood panels,comprising a stencil body having cut-outs arranged to formcorrespondingly matched patterns of the markings contained in thematched veneer panels to be imitated.

8. The combination of the stencil of claim '7 with a boundary strand forthe common boundary of said matched patterns.

9. The stencil of claim 7 and a boundary strand in the body of thestencil between said matched patterns.

10. The stencil of claim '7 and an auxiliary boundary strand secured tothe stencil over the common boundary of said matched patterns.-

11. A stencil adapted for use in simulating on a-surface to be decoratedthe appearance of a wood veneered surface having matched veneeredsections of different character, at least one section having matchedveneer panels of the same character, comprising a stencil body havingcutouts arranged t9 form correspondingly matched patterns of themarkings contained in the matched veneer panels to be imitated and anauxiliary boundary strand secured to the stencil over the commonboundary lines of said matched patterns.

12. A stencil adapted for use in simulating on a surface to be decoratedthe appearance of a wood veneered surface having matched veneer panelsof different character and a route line there-between, comprising astencil body having cut-outs arranged to form on opposite sides of theroute line in the surface to be decorated correspondingly matchedpatterns of the markings contained in, the matched veneer panels to beimitated and centering means secured to one side of said stencil bodyfor alignment with the route line of said surface to be decorated.

BENJAIWIN G. ROBERTSON.

corresponding route line, said method comprising arranging adjacent toand in alignment with

